Fine and dandy

“Fine motor skills are the small movements of the hands and fingers that are used to carry out many everyday tasks, including self-feeding and dressing,” explains Anne Zachry, PhD, assistant professor of occupational therapy at University of Tennessee’s Health Science Center and author of Retro Baby.

Here’s what to look out for and when:

Early on
• Grasping a rattle or mom’s finger
• Bringing toys and hands to her mouth

Half birthday
• Reaching and grabbing for toys
• Passing toys from one hand to the other

One year
• Pointing and banging things together
• Holding cereal between the thumb and index finger